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having citizens of many religions and worldviews

pluralistic

conformity to God's character; the principle of moral rightness and respect of other's rights

justice

the most famous code of ancient law compiled by the Babylonian king Hammurabi in the 18th century BC

Code of Hammurabi

members of the Roman upper class

patricians

collection of many Roman laws and other legal materials compiled by Roman emperor Justinian

Corpus Juris Civilis

the law during Middle and Renaissance England; applied to the whole realm of England; grounded in case law

common law

prior authoritative rulings

precedents

the practice of rendering judicial decisions on the basis of precedents

stare decisis

method of determining guilt or innocence that required the accused to carry a pot of boiling water or be dunked in water

trial by ordeal

method of settling accusations by having the two parties fight each other

trial by battle

method of determining guilt or innocence that required the accused to present witnesses to his or her character

compurgation

the best-selling author of Commentaries on the Laws of England; natural law and revealed law

William Blackstone

principle stating that all people have a conscience and can recognize the moral truths that exist in nature

natural law

revelation of God's law through Scripture

revealed law